Virtual Lobby Day for LGBTQ Rights in Florida

Equality Florida is encouraging netroots activists to urge legislators to sponsor three LGBT equality bills. The bills would ensure fairness in the areas of employment, adoption, and spousal benefits.

• The Florida Competitive Workforce Act (HB 391 by Skidmore and SB 798 by Gelber) This bill would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the state law that already protects people in employment and housing based on race, religion, sex, age and disability.

• Repeal of Florida's Adoption Ban (HB 3 by Brandenburg and SB 102 by Rich) Equality Florida continues to work with legislators to repeal the ban. With approximately 3,000 children waiting for adoption in Florida's foster care system, the state desperately needs to open up the pool to include qualified gay and lesbian parents.

• Domestic Partnerships (HB 477 by Steinberg SB 232 by Sobel) This bill would create a statewide domestic partnership policy in Florida. Dozens of cities and companies in Florida already offer some form of domestic partnership benefits, but right now there are no statewide protections for our families.

Take action by filling out this form to contact your representative and state senator.

Florida Senator Rudy Garcia: "No Time" to Fight Discrimination

Florida's LGBT non-discrimination bill (Senate bill 2012) deserves a hearing so that the thousands of families out there can be protected from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Senator Rudy Garcia Chair of the Commerce Committee is claiming there is "no time" to bring the bill to the floor this legislative season, citing a need to focus on the economy.

Please tell Senator Garcia that while the economic downturn must be a focus of the legislature, the non-discrimination bill deserves some time to be heard as well.

Use Equality Florida's E-contact Form to correspond with the Senator.